March 12, 2010
TEMPE, Ariz. – A complete game shutout for Megan Elliott and a Caylyn Carlson grand slam sent the eighth-ranked Sun Devil Softball team past No. 23 BYU and Pacific Friday night in Tempe to open their annual Diamond Devil Invitational. ASU topped BYU 9-1 (5) with Hillary Bach taking the win while defeating the Pacific Tigers 4-0 behind Megan Elliott as ASU moves to 21-2 overall.
Game one sent Hillary Bach out to the circle looking to defend her three-game shutout streak where BYU threatened immediately in the first inning with two singles to open the game, but the Devil D put on a clinic as they posted a 643 double play to keep Bach unscathed.
Annie Lockwood and Katie Crabb came through with the hot bats in the first as they brought in two runs to give Bach a little breathing room headed into the second. ASU’s two-out lightning struck again in the third inning as Caylyn Carlson crushed a 0-1 pitch to oblivion with the bases juiced to push the score to 6-0 after three.
BYU clawed onto the scoreboard in the fourth inning as a lead-off walk proved costly when it was followed by two singles to plate a run and end Bach’s streak of 20 scoreless innings. The Devils’ offense had Bach’s back though as they put three more on BYU’s tab in the bottom of the inning for a 9-1 lead. Bach came out to finish the game with a flawless fifth inning as the Sun Devils closed out the win early over the 23rd-ranked Cougars.
In the nightcap, Megan Elliott took the ball for ASU where she picked up ASU’s tenth shutout of the season and her fourth of the year while working some wily magic of her own to escape a few jams throughout the course of the night.
A Katelyn Boyd RBI single in the second got the ball rolling for the ASU offense before they saw a breakout inning in the third with Katie Crabb looking undaunted by the 3-2 count facing her as she zipped a double down the left field line to give two Sun Devils a home. With the next batter, Crabb herself graced home plate as Sam Parlich doubled to left center to give ASU a 4-0 lead.
Megan Elliott did the rest of the dirty work for the Devils, allowing only four hits in the complete game shutout while striking out seven and giving only one walk to the Tigers as she closed out the win with only 97 pitches thrown.
The Sun Devils hit the home turf again tomorrow as Day Two of the Diamond Devil Invitational rolls on with ASU taking on BYU at 3:00 p.m. and Nebraska at 5:00 p.m. in Tempe at Farrington Stadium.